Denise, a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and currently serving her third mayoral term, continues to lead by example, hosting events and advancing policies that ensure every resident — regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity — feels seen and supported.

• Celebrating Pride, building community.Denise remains a regular host of the city’s annual Pride events. In June 2024 and again in June 2025, she co‑hosted the Annual Cambridge Pride Brunch at City Hall, which recognized individuals and organizations uplifting the LGBTQ+ community and offered family‑friendly activities and a shuttle to the Boston Pride Parade. These events underscore her commitment to creating inclusive spaces where all residents can celebrate their identities.

• Inclusive housing and zoning.Cambridge’s housing policies have historically assumed that only legally related people constitute a family. Recognizing how this disadvantages many LGBTQ+ households, Denise co‑sponsored a March 2024 policy order to update the zoning code so that “residential household” replaces the narrow definition of family. The Housing Committee unanimously endorsed the proposal, which aims to ensure that unrelated individuals — including queer chosen families — can live together legally. She also supported the LGBTQ+ Friendly Housing Task Force survey in February 2024 that invited residents to share experiences and ideas for improving LGBTQ‑friendly housing. The task force’s findings will shape recommendations to the City Manager on inclusive housing options.

• Defending trans and nonbinary residents.Alarmed by the Trump administration’s moves to restrict transgender rights, Mayor Simmons and the City Council voted unanimously in March 2025 to declare Cambridge a sanctuary for trans and nonbinary people. The resolution pledges that city resources will not be used to cooperate with discriminatory state or federal policies and commits to ensuring equal access to housing, healthcare, education, and employment. During the debate, Simmons — the first Black, openly lesbian mayor in the nation — said that as someone “out loud and proud,” she refuses to stay silent when transgender rights are under attack, and that Cambridge must stand as a beacon for other communities.

• Town Hall meetings and community engagement.Denise continues to hold LGBTQ+ Town Hall meetings, giving queer residents direct access to civic leaders and ensuring their concerns guide city policy. She has paired these with other constituency‑specific forums — for renters and seniors, for example — to broaden civic participation. These meetings have historically led to concrete changes, such as the creation of the city’s LGBTQ+ Commission, improved police training on LGBTQ+ issues, and the hiring of an LGBTQ Family Liaison in Cambridge Public Schools.

• Early advocacy and ongoing vigilance.A long‑time advocate for marriage equality and an early supporter of public accommodations protections for transgender people, Denise continues to testify at the State House and rally public support for inclusive legislation. She knows that discrimination persists even in progressive communities, and she is unapologetically focused on expanding protections, establishing LGBTQ+‑friendly housing for seniors, and ensuring that Cambridge remains a safe haven in the face of renewed national hostility.

Moving forward, Mayor Simmons will continue fighting to implement inclusive zoning reforms, secure LGBTQ+‑friendly housing, and protect trans and nonbinary residents from discriminatory laws. She also plans to sustain and expand community‑building events like Pride and the LGBTQ+ Town Hall meetings. In her own words, she is “out loud and proud” — and she intends to keep using her platform to elevate voices that too often go unheard.